Hood hook for motoe vehicles



Aug. 28, 1923. 1,456,528

w. H. HOLMES HOOD HOOK FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed June 13 1922 i NVENTOR WILLIAM H HOLMES ATTYS.

Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. HOLMES, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

HOOD HOOK FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed June 13, 1922. Serial No. 567,902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM H. Homrns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hood Hooks for Motor Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The latches for the hoods of motor vehicle engines as heretofore constructed are usually of ditlicult operation because of the powerful springs required to hold the hood sufficiently firm in position to prevent rattling. Such hoods must be yieldingly held to allow for twists of the engine frame. The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of latch in which a suliiciently powerful spring can be used and yet the latch operated by persons not possessed of much muscular strength. Other objects will appear from the following description.

The invention is embodied in the example herein shown and described, the features of novelty being finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a side view of an engine hood showing my invention applied thereto with the hood closed and latched.

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing one of the latch levers disengaged.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line lid-III Fig. 2.

In the views 5 designates the hood proivided with an ordinary finger piece 5 for raising and lowering it on its usual hinge. The two latching means shown are synunetrical duplicates and a description of one will sufiice for both.

Fixed to the rear or inner face of the hood is a case or pocket 6 containing a sliding slug 7 having a button 8, including a suitable shank 8, extending through a vertical slot 5 in the hood. The slug 7 is supported on a strong coil spring 9 pressing the slug and its button upward.

Hinged upon a yoke shaped pintle 10 secured to the sill 11 is a clip 12 forming a link having pivoted to its free end a curved latching lever 13. The clip 12 is rockable toward and from the hood while the pivot of the latching lever is at right angles to the axis of motion of the clip. The inner edge of the lever is made as a long cam 13 terminating in a recess 13".

The operation is this: After closing the hood the lever is swung up into position to permit the cam edge 13 to be depressed onto the shank of the button behind the head thereof and by continued depression to cause the shank of the button to enter the recess 13*. In this position the lever is latched from movement and the hood held yieldingly by the spring 9.

It will be observed that the extended cam edge permits the exertion of a gradually increasing effect in depressing the shank of the button as the cam edge rides thereon. It will also be observed that because, in this operation, the lever swings parallel to the face of the hood this effect is obtained without great lateral projection of the lever be yond the face of the hood.

The forms of the parts can be changed without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

In combination with a hinged motor vehicle hood and its sill, a spring held button on said hood, said button projecting to the exterior thereof, a link hinged to the sill to swing outward therefrom, a lever fulcrumed in said link to permit the lever to swing in a plane substantially parallel with the outer face of the hood, said lever having a cam edge of gradually increasing radius with reference to its fulcrum to engage said button to increase the tension of the spring when the lever is drawn over the button to hood-securing position substantially as described.

WVILLIAM H. HOLMES. 

